Draw carriage



April 30, 1963 Filed Jan. 4. 1960 R. L. COAN DRAW CARRIAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

RICHARD L. COAN ATTORNEYS April 30, 1963 R. L. COAN 3,087,604

DRAW CARRIAGE Filed Jan. 4. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR RICHARD L. COAN ATTOR N EYS April 30, 1963 R. L. COAN 3,087,604

DRAW CARRIAGE Filed Jan. 4. 1960 m 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 5

INVENTOR.

RICHARD L. COAN i v lzll uflm m ATTORNEYS Am] 30, 1963 R. L. COAN 3,087,604

DRAW CARRIAGE Filed Jan. 4. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 iii ATTORNEYS R. COAN 3,087,604

DRAW CARRIAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 30, 1963 Filed Jan. 4. 1960' INVENTOR.

RICHARD L. COAN BY M I x mm H mm mm 55;...

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In I] ATTORNEYS 0 2 m 9 M 5 3 QQR 0% mm .m W T 4 J u m United States This invention relates generally to draw carriages, but has reference more particularly to carriages or devices which are utilized for drawing copper tubes and the like through drawing dies for sizing, dimensioning or other purposes.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, which utilizes novel air connection or supply means for automatically gripping the ends of the tubes to be drawn and for effecting engagement of the carriage with the draw chain which moves the carriage during the draw movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, having novel gripping jaws and associated elements for insuring a positive gripping action on the tubes to be drawn.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, having means incorporated therein for insuring equalization of the gripping action between the gripper bits or jaws of each set of gripper bits, and proper alignment of the drawn tubes with the draw carriage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, having incorporated therein means for positively releasing the drawn tubes from the draw carriage and for utilizing the momentum of the released tubes to aid in such release.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, having means incorporated therein for absorbing the energy developed by such momentum and for avoiding injury or damage to the released tubes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, having incorporated therein means for effectively releasing the carriage from the draw chain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, which consists of a minimum number of parts which can be quickly and easily assembled, and as readily disassembled for repair or replacement purposes, affording ready access to all parts of the carriage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a draw carriage of the character described, having incorporated therein means for providing an emergency air supply for activation of parts of the carriage at such times when the normal air supply is not available or cannot be connected with the carriage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the draw carriage, showing also, portions of the chains for actuating the carriage and for returning it to its initial position;

atent "ice FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the draw carriage;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the carriage, with the rollers 22 omitted to more clearly show other features;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the carriage;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the carriage, taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 77 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a view, in side elevation, of means for introducing an emergency supply of air for activation of the draw carriage and other parts, and

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the air supply and valves for activation of the draw carriage and other parts.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates an H-beam along which the draw carriage of the present invention is reciprocated, this beam being provided with spaced tracks or rails 2 and 3. Welded centrally along the beam 1 is an I-beam 4, to the web of which a track 5 is secured, as by bolts 6 and nuts 7.

The track 5 provides a guide for an endless chain 8, such, for example as a Jeffrey Block Chain #1445-A, by means of which the draw carriage is moved along the rails 2 and 3, during its draw movement, in a manner to be presently described.

The draw carriage which forms the subject of the present invention comprises a base or platform which consists of a number of parts which are welded together to form a rigid unit. These include spaced side walls 9 and 10, and a horizontal base plate 11, which extends between the forward portions of the walls 9 and 10.

The base also includes a transversely extending vertical wall 12, rearwardly of which is a pair of axiallyaligned spaced cylindrical hub members 13 and 14, which serve a purpose to be presently described, these members being welded to the inboard faces of the side walls 9 and 10 respectively. Extending radially from the members, 13 and .14, in a horizontal plane, between the walls 9 and 10, is a plate 15. Gusset members 16- are also provided, which extend horizontally from the rear of the hub members 13 and 14 to the walls 9 and 10.

Above the gusset members 16, there is mounted upon and welded to the upper edges of the walls 9 and 10, a cross-member 17, which provides a support for a pair of transversely spaced brackets 18 and a cylinder 19.

The base is supported at the front and rear respectively by wheels 20 and 21, which roll on the rails 2 and 3. Forwardly of these wheels, the base is provided with guide rollers 22, mounted for rotation about vertical axes, which roll along the outboard faces of the H-beam 1 and thus preclude lateral movement of the base relatively to this beam.

Journalled for rotation in the hub members 13 and 14 is a shaft 23, to the central portion of which a tong 24 is rigidly secured. This tong is provided at its forward end with hub elements 25 and 26, through which the shaft 23 extends, and which are locked to the shaft by any suitable rneans, such as a set screw. Secured to the outboard end of the hub element 25 is a lever 27, and secured to the outboard end of the hub element 26 is a second lever 28.

The tong 24 is provided at its rear end with a hook 29, which is adapted to be engaged with the draw chain 8 during the draw movement of the carriage.

The upper end of the lever 27 is pivotally secured, as by a pin 30, to a clevis 31, which is threadedly secured to the end of a piston rod 32 of a pneumatic cylinder 33, having an inlet port 34 and outlet port 35. The cylinder 33 may be of the type known as Model-RET (rod end trunnion) manufactured by Petch Mfg. Co., of Alpena, Michigan, and is provided with trunnions 36, so that it may be mounted on the brackets 18 for pivotal movement, the trunnions being retained on the brackets by means of caps 37 which are secured to the brackets by bolts.

The upper end of the lever 28 extends through a slot 39 in the bottom of the cylinder .19 (see FIG. 7), in the front end of which a plunger 40 is mounted, this plunger being engaged by a compression coil spring 41, the rear end of which is in abutment with a cap 42, which is threaded into the rear end of the cylinder.

Mounted on the base plate 11, forwardly of the wall 12, is a body 43, which is removably secured in position by means of cap screws 44, which extend through the side walls 9 and 10 and into the sides of the body 43. Toinsure proper placement of the body 43 with respect to the base, the side plates are provided with keyways 45, and the body is provided with keys or tenons 46, which are slidable vertically into these keyways.

The body 43 is provided at its forward end with guide elements 47 and 48, which provide three pairs of spaced guide surfaces 49 and 50, which diverge from each other in a rearward direction, and which serve to guide the movement of gripper bits 51, having gripper ja'ws 52, which are adapted to be engaged with the ends of the tubes which are to be drawn by the draw carriage.

The guide elements 47 are extended rearwardly to provide side walls 53, and are further extended to provide spacer blocks 54. The body 43 is also provided with blocks 55 at the rear of the body, these being interconnected with the guide elements 48 by means of plates 56.

The body 43 is also provided with upstanding guide elements 57, each of which has guide surfaces 58 which are parallel with and cooperate with the adjacent guide surfaces of the elements 47 and 48 in guiding the gripper bits, as will be presently described. Each of the elements 57 is also provided with a surface 59 which is inclined upwardly in a rearward direction for a purpose to be presently explained in connection with the operation of the draw carriage.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. and 6, the gripper bits 51 are arranged in pairs and are mounted for slidable movement in the spaces between the guide surfaces 49 and 50 of the body 43. The rear ends of these gripper bits are pivotally connected to pins 60, and the bits are also free to move longitudinally of these pins. These pins are retained against endwise displacement by means of the side walls 53 and the plates 56.

V Pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of each of the pins 60 is a support member 61 having a dovetailshaped rearward extension 62 of uniform height and having divergent side walls 63 and 64. Disposed rearwardly of each of the extensions 62 is a gripper rod 65 having a dovetail-shaped forward portion 66 of uniform height and having divergent side walls 67 and 68, which, when the extensions 62 and portions 66 are in abutment with each other, are fiush with the side walls 63 and 64 respectively.

The support members 61 and gripper rods 65 are normally maintained in abutment with each other by means of extension coil springs 69, which are secured to the side walls 63, 64, 67 and 68 by means of screws 70.

The gripper rods 65 extend rearwardly into short cylinders 71 and are threadedly secured to pistons 72 which are slidable in these cylinders. Each of these cylinders is closed at its fonward end by a cap 73, having wings 74 which are retained in slots 75 in the body 43 of the draw 4- carriage. The cylinders 71 are closed at their rear ends by means of caps 76 having air inlet ports 77. Compression coil springs 76 are interposed between the piston 72 and end cap 73 of each cylinder.

Secured to the body 43 of the draw carriage, as by means of bolts 79, is a cover member 80. This member comprises a cover plate 81 having spaced openings 82 in its forward portion, which openings overlie portions of the gripper bits 51. These openings terminate at the rear thereof in inclined surfaces 83 which form, in effect, a continuation of the inclined surfaces 59 of the elements 57.

The cover member also comprises a cyilnder block 84, which is welded to the cover plate 81, and is provided with cylindrical openings 85, which are spaced to correspond with the spacing of the openings 82. Each of the openings 85 is provided at its forward end with a semicylindrical abutment or stop 86, which is welded in place. Below the abutment or stop 86, the block 84 is milled to provide openings 87 which are in alignment with the openings 82 and are of the same width as the latter, each opening having an inclined surface 88 at its rear end, which surface forms, in effect, a continuation of the inclined surface 83.

Extending rearwardly from each of the cylindrical openings 85 of the block 84 is a cylinder 89, the inside wall of which is a continuation of the wall of the cylindrical opening 85. Each of the cylinders 89 is closed at its rear end by means of a cap 90, and each of the cylindrical openings 85 and cylinders 89 has slidably mounted therein a piston 91, a compression coil 92 being interposed between each of the caps 90 and pistons 91. The abutment 86 provides a stop for the forward movement of the piston 91.

Each of the cylinders 89 is provided adjacent its rear end with a nipple 92, to which a pipe T 93 is connected. One branch of this T 93 has connected thereto a swing check valve 94, and the other branch of the T is closed by means of a pipe plug 95, having a small bleeder hole therein.

The draw carriage is also provided with various air connections necessary for the operation of the carriage and parts thereof. These connections include an air inlet tube 96, having a tapered end 97 which is adapted to be received in the socket 98 (see FIG. 9) of a compressed air supply, at the inception of the draw movement, as will be presently explained.

The tube 96 is supported intermediate its ends by a bracket 99, which is secured to the side wall 10 of the base by means of screws (not shown). The rear end of the tube 96 extends into a block 101, which is secured to the wall 10 of the base by means of screws (not shown), and communicates with air passageways 103 and 104 in this block. The passageway 104 is connected by a hose 105 with one of the inlet openings 106 of a three-way valve 107, such for example as a Valvair valve #16436- 15A of the normally open type.

The other inlet opening 108 of the valve 107 may be supplied with air through a tube 109, which may be connected to an emergency manual-controlled air supply for use when air to the tube 96 is not available. The tube 109 is supported on the wall 9 of the base by means of a bracket 110, and the valve 107 is supported on the wall 9 by means of a bracket 111.

The outlet opening 112 of the valve 107 is connected by a hose 113 to the inlet port of a manifold 114 which is mounted on the inboard face of the side Wall 10 of the base. The manifold 114 has four outlet ports 115, 116, 117 and 118. The ports 115, 116 and 117 are connected, as by conduits 119 to the inlet ports 77 of the cylinder caps 76, and the port 118 is connected by a conduit 120 with the inlet port 34 of the cylinder 33.

The valve 107 is provided with a plunger 121, which, in one position, interconnects the inlet opening 106 with the outlet opening 112, and which, in the other position,

interconnects the inlet opening 108 with the outlet opening 112.

Other details of construction will be referred to in connection with the use and operation of the draw carriage, which will now be described.

The draw carriage is moved to a position adjacent the drawing dies, so that the ends of the tubes which are to be drawn through the dies by the carriage are positioned to be gripped by the gripper bits 51. For this purpose, a chain 125 is provided, the ends of which are connected to brackets 126 which are mounted on the wall of the draw carriage, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the chain being driven to return the draw carriage to said position at the conclusion of the drawing operation.

When the draw carriage reaches this position, which is the position it occupies at the inception of the draw movement, the tapered end 97 of the air connector tube 96 is in communication with the compressed air supply bell 98 (FIG. 9) so that air passes through the tube 96, passageways 193 and 104, hose 105 inlet 106 of the valve 107, through the valve 107 and outlet 112 of the valve (the inlet 108 of the valve being closed).

The air then passes through the hose 113 and into the manifold 114, through ports 115, 116, 117 and 118, and conduits 119 and 120 to the cylinders 33 and 71.

The air passing into the cylinders 71 actuates the pistons 72 and gripper rods 65 causing these gripper rods to move forwardly and their forward portions 66 to push the support members 61 forwardly. The members 61 push the pins 60 forwardly and thus push the gripper bits 51 forwardly, causing the gripper bits, or rather their jaws 52 to grip the ends of the tubes which are to be drawn by the draw carriage.

During this movement of the pistons 72, the .air which would otherwise be trapped in the cylinders 71 is forced out of the cylinders by the pistons through openings 127 (see FIGS. 5 and 6), which are formed by removing a portion of the cylinders. The forward movement of the pistons 72 also compresses the springs 78.

At the same time, the air which enters the cylinder 33 through its inlet port 34, causes the piston rod 32 of that cylinder to move rearwardly in the cylinder, actuating the lever 27, and through the hub element 25, causing the tong 24 to be rocked to the broken line position shown in FIG. 1, in which position the hook 29 of the tong is engaged with the draw chain 8.

.At the same time, the lever 28 is actuated, so that its upper end pushes the plunger 40 rearwardly, thereby compressing the spring 41 in the cylinder 19. The spring 41 acts as a shock absorber to cushion the action of the tong 24 and prevent injury to same.

At the instant that the hook 29 is engaged with the chain 8, the chain is moved to actuate the draw carriage and thereby cause the gripper bits 51 to pull the tubes which are gripped thereby through the drawing dies.

As soon as the draw carriage commences to move, the air connection to the tube 96 is broken, but owing to the reaction between the forces of the chain 8 pulling on the draw carriage in one direction, and the pull of the drawn tubes in the opposite direction, the tubes remain firmly griped during the draw, and the springs 78 remain in compression even though the supply of air to the cylinders 71 has been cut off.

Moreover, the pull of the chain 8 on the hook 29 of the tong maintains the tong in its operative condition, even though the air supply to the cylinder 33 has been cut off, and the spring 41 would otherwise tend to disengage the tong from the chain.

The springs 69 are effective to insure that each set of gripper bits 51 will properly grip the end of the tube which is to be drawn thereby. Thus, if one bit of each set should move to gripping position ahead of the other bit of that set, the dovetail extension 62 will pivot about one edge of the portion 66 of the gripepr rod 65, and the spring 69 at the side opposite this edge which has become 6 stretched will then contract, so as to draw back the bit which has moved ahead. In this way, assurance is had that the gripping action of the bits in each pair is uniform and equal, and any possible misalignment between the tubes which are being drawn .and the gripper rods 65 is avoided, so that a proper drawing action is obtainable.

At the conclusion of the tube drawing movement, which occurs when the tubes which are being drawn emerge from the drawing dies, the aforesaid reacting forces are no longer present, and at this instance, the following events take place:

The tong 24 is returned to its initial position, shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 5, by the expansion of the spring 41 of the cylinder 19, so that the engagement of the hook 29 with the chain 8 is released and the draw carriage comes to a stop.

At the same time, the springs 78 in the cylinders 71 expand to their original condition, causing the gripper rods 65 to be retracted, and the gripper bits 51 to become released from gripping engagement with the drawn tubes.

Immediately upon such release of the drawn tubes, the momentum of these tubes causes their forward ends to ride up the inclined surfaces 59, 83 and 88, and these ends to strike the pistons 91 and move these pistons to compress the springs 92 in the cylinders 89. These springs thus act as shock absorbers which prevents damage to the drawn tubes, and the impact of the drawn tubes against the pistons 91 is effective to cause the drawn tubes to be thrown clear of the draw carriage and laterally onto a stock pile or platform on which the drawn tubes are collected.

The air within the cylinders 89 which would otherwise be trapped in these cylinders and compressed by the pistons 91, is released through the check valves 94 and through the bleeder holes in the plugs 95.

If, for any reason, it becomes necessary to release the drawn rods during the course of the drawing movement, or because of malfunctioning of parts of the carriage or other equipment, air for this purpose may be supplied through the emergency air supply tube 109. For this purpose, the plunger 121, as seen in FIG. 9, is lifted to permit such air to pass through the inlet 108, through the valve .107 and through the outlet 112 of the valve.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts of my invention, without departisg from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a draw carriage of the character described, a body having a plurality of pairs of spaced guide surfaces, the surfaces of each pair diverging from each other in a rearward direction, upstanding guide elements disposed in the spaces between said pairs of guide surfaces, each of said elements having guide surfaces parallel with adjacent guide surfaces of said body, gripper bits guided for movement in the spaces between said first-named guide surfaces and the adjacent guide surfaces of said elements, said gripper bits adapted for pulling tubes to be drawn through drawing dies, and means for moving said bits to tube gripping position, said means comprising rods having dove tail-shaped forward extensions providing divergent side walls, support members having dovetail-shaped rearward extensions providing divergent side walls, said last-named extensions adapted for abutment by said first-named extensions, and said side walls of said first-named extensions being flush with the side walls of said last-named extensions, when said extensions are in abutment, pins secured to said support members, said gripper bits being pivotally secured to said pins, and means for normally maintaining said extensions in abutment with each other, said means comprising extension coil springs secured to the respective side walls of said extensions.

2. A draw carriage, as defined in claim 1, including means for pneumatically moving said rods, said lastnamed means comprising cylinders in alignment with 5 said rods and extensions, and pistons slidable in said cylinders and secured to said rods.

3. A draw carriage, as defined in claim 2, including spring means in said cylinders for returning said pistons to their initial positions at the conclusion of the draw- 10 ing operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wallis Mar. 13,

Eves Aug. 7,

Lombard Feb. 17,

Fredriksson July 21,

Kerr Dec. 15,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Aug. 22, 

1. IN A DRAW CARRIAGE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A BODY HAVING A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF SPACED GUIDE SURFACES, THE SURFACES OF EACH PAIR DIVERGING FROM EACH OTHER IN A REARWARD DIRECTION, UPSTANDING GUIDE ELEMENTS DISPOSED IN THE SPACES BETWEEN SAID PAIRS OF GUIDE SURFACES, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING GUIDE SURFACES PARALLEL WITH ADJACENT GUIDE SURFACES OF SAID BODY, GRIPPER BITS GUIDED FOR MOVEMENT IN THE SPACES BETWEEN SAID FIRST-NAMED GUIDE SURFACES AND THE ADJACENT GUIDE SURFACES OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID GRIPPER BITS ADAPTED FOR PULLING TUBES TO BE DRAWN THROUGH DRAWING DIES, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BITS TO TUBE GRIPPING POSITION, SAID MEANS COMPRISING RODS HAVING DOVE TAIL-SHAPED FORWARD EXTENSIONS PROVIDING DIVERGENT SIDE WALLS, SUPPORT MEMBERS HAVING DOVETAIL-SHAPED REARWARD EXTENSIONS PROVIDING DIVERGENT SIDE WALLS, SAID LAST-NAMED EXTENSIONS ADAPTED FOR ABUTMENT BY SAID FIRST-NAMED EXTENSIONS, AND SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID FIRST-NAMED EXTENSIONS BEING FLUSH WITH THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID LAST-NAMED EXTENSIONS, WHEN SAID EXTENSIONS ARE IN ABUTMENT, PINS SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, SAID GRIPPER BITS BEING PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID PINS, AND MEANS FOR NORMALLY MAINTAINING SAID EXTENSIONS IN ABUTMENT WITH EACH OTHER, SAID MEANS COMPRISING EXTENSION COIL SPRINGS SECURED TO THE RESPECTIVE SIDE WALLS OF SAID EXTENSIONS. 